Window sash balances

ABSTRACT

A WINDOW SASH BALANCE HAVING A COILED SPRING AND A SPIRAL ROD, ONE END OF WHICH IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE SPRING AND THE OTHER END IS DETACHABLY CONNECTED WITH THE SASH BY A BRACKET AND PIN. AN ANCHOR CLIP IS PROVIDED, YIELDABLY HELD IN PLACE TO RETAIN THE PIN AND BRACKET CONNECTION.

United States Patent O l 3,609,796 WINDOW SASH BALANCES Phil Skolnik,P.0. Box 45558, Houston, Tex. 77845 Filed Nov. 17, 1969, Ser. No.877,411 Int. Cl. Ed 13/10 US. Cl. 16197 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A window sash balance having a coiled spring and a spiralrod, one end of which is operatively connected with the spring and theother end is detachably connected with the sash by a bracket and pin. Ananchor clip is provided, yieldably held in place to retain the pin andbracket connection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements inwindow sash balances. More particularly, this invention relates to suchbalances of the spiral type.

Heretofore, the industry has provided window sash spiral balances toassist in lifting the window sash and for holding the sash in its lastoperated position. Such balances usually comprise a fixed, elongatedcasing having a spiral rod mounted internally thereof for longitudinalmovement, one end of the rod being connected to a window sash. A coilspring having a spring anchor on each end is associated with the spiralrod and the casing so that vertical movement of the window sash, andconsequential longitudinal movement of the spiral rod, torsionally loadsthe coil spring.

Although such balances offer operational advantage over their structuralalternatives, such balances are complicated and troublesome to assemble.Further, the connector utilized for connecting the spiral rod to awindow sash is not always satisfactory because of maintenancerequirements and a lack of structural integrity. Such connectors areoverly complicated in construction, unnecessarily expensive, and do notfacilitate ease in initial installation or subsequent adjustment of thetorsional load on the coil spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS This preferred embodiment of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partly in section, showing thepresent sash balance fixed to a window jamb and sash;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical, cross-sectional view of the connectingelements shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the connecting elements shown in FIG. 2,taken at right angles thereto; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged disassembled perspective view of the elementsutilized in connecting the spiral rod to a window sash as shown in FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSURE Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 ofthe drawings, the present sash balance is shown positioned in aconventional Window frame, comprising a vertically extending jamb 1, ahorizontally extending lintel 2 and sill 3 fixed to the upper and lowerends, respectively, of the jamb 1, spaced Patented Oct. 5., 1971 apart adistance sufiicient for sliding movement of a sash therebetween. Theframe further comprises a conventional vertically extending partingstrip and facing strip (not shown), both of which are fixed to the jamb1 and between which a lower sash 4 is slidably mounted. The verticalside rail 5 of the window sash 4 may be of a conventional verticallyextending channel shape, which is square in cross-section to receive thespiral balance. Although only one spiral balance is shown in connectionwith the one lateral edge of the lower sash 4, it will be appreciatedthat the present sash balance may be installed on both laterallyopposite edges of both the top and bottom sashes in the usual manner.

The present spiral balance comprises a vertically extending casing 6which may be polygonal, but preferably is square in cross-section. Thecasing 6 may be enclosed on four sides but preferably is provided with avertically extending slot along the full length of the side thereofabutting the window jamb 1. Slidably but snugly received in the upperend of the casing 6 is an upper spring anchor 7. The entire anchor 7 ispreferably constructed of nylon or the like.

The anchor 7 is provided with an enlarged upper portion 8 which may besquare in cross-section and which is snugly receivable in the casing 6.Rectangular shoulders 9 extend laterally from at least two sides of thesquare upper portion 8. The outside dimensions of the square upperportion 8, shoulder to shoulder, is substantially equal to the outsidedimensions of the casing 6. It will be seen that the anchor may bereceived slidably in the casing 6 to the depth permitted by theshoulders 9 but retained in the casing against rotary movement.

A suitable fastening, such as screw 10, is inserted through alignedapertures in the casing 6 and the anchor 7, for securing these parts tothe jamb 1.

The upper spring anchor 7 has fixed thereto one end of a coil spring 11of the flat wire type. The outside lower diameter of the spring anchor 7is approximately equal to the inside diameter of the spring 11 in arelaxed condition. However, the outside diameter of the spring anchor 7immediately subjacent to the upper portion 8 is appreciably greater thanthe inside diameter of the spring 11 in a relaxed condition.

In assembling this device, because of its frusto-conical configuration,the lower end of the anchor 7 may be inserted conveniently into thespring 11, but upon forcing the frusto-conical portion thereof into thespring, the latter is diametrically expanded to such a degree that it isrotatably secured to the frusto-conical portion of the anchor 7 by thetension induced in the spring.

The lower end of the coil spring 11 is fixedly positioned on a lowertubular spring anchor 12, also constructed of nylon or the like, andhaving a frusto-conical portion for fixedly receiving the lower end ofthe spring 11. The lower end of the spring anchor 12 is partiallyclosed, with a rectangular slot 13 therein.

To fix longitudinally but rotatably mount the lower spring anchor 12 inthe lower end of the casing 6, a pair of generally U-shaped, splitbearing inserts 14 and 15 are provided, as shown in cross-section inFIG. 1 and as disclosed in more detail in my prior Patent No. 3,271,812.Each insert 14 and 15 is received in an aperture in the casing 6 andcomprises a flat, horizontally extending, generally U-shaped portion thedimension along a leg of the U being substantially equal to the outsidedimension of the square casing 6. The Width of each U-shaped insert 14and 15 is substantially equal to the inside dimension of the squarecasing 6. Each insert 14 and 15 further comprises a generally U-shapedblock of equal thickness as, and fixed to the base of, the U-shapedportion. Also, the width of each block is substantially equal to thedimension between the legs of the U-shaped portion.

The inserts 14 and 15 abut annular shoulders on the anchor 12 to mountrotatably but fix longitudinally the anchor in the casing 6.

Referring to FIG. 1, positioned internally of the spring 11 in thecasing 6 is an elongated spiral rod 16 having a stop 17 at the upper endthereof. The rod 16 is extended through the slot 13 in the lower springanchor 12. The lower end of the spiral rod 16 is provided with aflattened portion 18 having a hooked-tool receiving aperture 19 in thelower end thereof for facilitating adjustment of the torsional load onthe spring 11 when desired.

The lower end 18 of the spiral rod 16 is further provided with a secondaperture 20 for fixedly receiving a laterally extending connectorelement 21, such as a rivet or pin. The connector element or pin 21comprises a shank 22 extending through the aperture 20. Integral withthe shank 22 is a cylindrical portion 23, the diameter of which isslightly larger than the diameter of the shank 22 and of the aperture20. Integral with the portions 22 and 23 is an enlarged head 24.

In assembling the spiral rod and connector element 21, the shank 22 isinserted in the aperture 20 and the inner end thereof is peened over, asin a rivet, to form a circular shoulder .25 and thereby lock the lowerend 18 of the spiral rod 16 between the shoulder 25 and the cylindricalportion 23 of the connector element 21.

To fix the spiral rod 16 and the connector element 21 to the lower sash4, a bracket 26 is provided. The bracket 26 comprises a verticallyextending sill abutting base portion 27 having an aperture 28 in thecenter thereof for reception of a screw 29, or the like, to fix thebracket 26 to the side rail of the lower sash 4. The bracket furtherincludes a horizontal or web section 30 integral with and perpendicularto the sill abutting portion 27 and terminating in a verticallyextending lower portion 31 which is integral with and extendsperpendicularly beneath the horizontal portion 30.

The lower portion 31 is provided with a vertically extending notch 32 inthe lower end thereof, formed of a width at least equal to the diameterof the circular portion 23 of the connector element 21, but less than Ithe diameter of the head 24.

The pin 21 can enter the notch 32. It is thus locked in a position whereany tension in the spiral rod 16 will keep the pin locked in place andprevent it from dropping out of the notch.

Additional means is provided for insuring that the pin will not drop outof the notch 32. This means comprises an anchor clip 33 having a baseportion 34 underlying the base 27 of the bracket 26. An aperture 35 inthe portion 34 receives the screw 29 therethrough for securing theanchor clip to the side rail 5 of the sash 4.

The anchor clip 33 is preferably formed of spring material, such asspring steel. An angular portion 36 extends downward at an obtuse angleto the base portion 34 and terminates in a hook portion 37. These partsare so disposed that the hook portion 37 will engage beneath the head 24to keep the pin 21 locked in place and to keep it from dropping out ofthe notch 32. The angular portion 36 forms a leaf spring to hold thehook portion in place under the head 24 but to yield for movement of thepin 21.

As will be apparent, to adjust the torsional load on the coil spring 11it is necessary merely to pull the spiral rod 16 in a downward directionsufficiently to disengage the connector element 21 from the notch in thebracket 4 26, and to rotate the spiral rod about its longitudinal axisin the desired direction to increase or decrease the torsional load onthe spring.

Assembling the present spiral balance is as follows: Insert the upperand lower spiral anchors 7 and 13 in opposite ends of the spring 11 in aforcible manner so as to fix rotationally the spring on a frusto-conicalportion of each anchor. The spring with the anchors attached is insertedthrough the upper end of the casing 6 until the shoulder portions 9 ofthe upper anchor 7 abut the upper end of the casing. The spiral rod 16is then dropped through the bore of the upper anchor 7, the lower end 18of the rod passing through the rectangular slot 13 in the lower anchor12. The bearing inserts 14 and 15 are then inserted through oppositesides of the casing 6 so as to restrain longitudinally but rotatablymount the lower anchor 12 in the casing 6.

Subsequently, the connector element or pin 21 is inserted in theaperture in the lower end 18 of the spiral rod 16 and the portionextending therethrough is peened over to form a circular shoulder 25 tofix the connector element therein. Any other suitable means may be usedfor fixing the connector element to the spiral rod 16. The spiral rod 16is then connected to the sash 4 by insertion of the connector element orpin 21 within the notch in the end of the bracket 26.

In operation, the spiral balance acts to hold the window sash in thelast operative position and to assist in lifting the sash. This functionis achieved by connecting the lower end 18 of the spiral rod 16 to thewindow sash 4 when the sash is in the fully raised condition and thespring 11 is under minimum torsion stress. Upon lowering the window, thespiral rod 16 is carried in a downward direction, and as the spiral rodis moved through the rectangular slot in the lower anchor 12, the springanchor 12 is rotated, thereby to increase the torsional load on thespring 11. If downward movement of the window sash is interrupted at anypoint, the torsional load on the spring 11 acts to offset the weight ofthe window, tending to urge the window further down. When the windowsash is in the fully lowered position, the spring 11 is fully loaded,and raising the window sash is aided by the torsional load on thespring, which acts to urge the window in an upward direction.

From the above, it will be seen that the present spiral balance ofierssignificant advantages in simplicity of construction, structuralintegrity and ease in assembly, installation and adjustment. Moreover,it is locked to prevent a disconnection of the bracket. Any tension onthe spiral rod will tend to keep the connecting pin locked in placeagainst accidental dropping out.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in oneembodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be madetherein, without departing from the invention as set forth in theclaims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a window having a movable sash, of a balancedevice having a coiled spring and a spiral rod operatively connectedwith the coiled spring, said spiral rod having an end portion andextending generally parallel with a lateral edge of the sash and besidesaid edge, and means connecting said end portion with the sashcomprising a bracket having one end portion attached to said lateraledge of the sash, having the opposite end portion ofi'set from the sashand extending fiatwise in abutting relation against a side of the spiralrod parallel with the face of said lateral edge of the sash, saidlast-mentioned end portion of the bracket having an elongated slottherein, a headed pin projecting from the end portion of the spiral rodinto said slot for detachably connecting the spiral rod with thebracket, and means beside the bracket and bearing upon the headed pinand yieldably holding the headed pin in the slot and movable out ofbearing relation therewith for detachment of the pin therefrom.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the yieldable holdingmeans comprises a clip spring mounted on the sash.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the yieldable holdingmeans comprises a clip engaging under the pin, and a leaf springsupporting said clip and mounted on the sash.

4. The combination according to claim 3, and a fastening extendingthrough the bracket and leaf spring and connected With the sash formounting the bracket and leaf spring thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS J. KARL BELL, Primary ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

